Troop 299 is open to all boys ages 10½ to 17. While most "cross over" from Webelos in fifth grade, you can join with no prior Scouting experience. We also welcome transfer Scouts. Please contact the Scoutmaster for more information.
Looking for a girl Troop? Please visit Troop 581's website.
Please see this Quick Facts for Troop 299
Ready to join? Here's all the information you will need.
Policies to read and understand and forms to fill out for Scouts (mandatory):
Annual Health & Medical Form AB (any activity)
Annual Health & Medical Form ABC (summer camp)
Note: Scout Life (formerly Boys' Life) magazine subscription is optional and not included with dues.
For adults (mandatory if participating in outings)
Annual Health & Medical Form AB (any activity)
Annual Health & Medical Form ABC (summer camp)
For adults (optional)
Merit Badge Counselor application
Most meetings are at St. Patrick's Episcopal Church, 7121 Muirfield Drive, Dublin, Ohio in the Church Hall and usually begin at 7:00 PM. Troop meetings are each Tuesday except for the last Tuesday of each month when the PLC (Scout-led Patrol Leader Conference) has its meeting. The Troop Committee meets on the third or fourth Thursday of each month, and a Court of Honor is convened each quarter.
Visitors are welcome anytime but it would be best to check first with the Scoutmaster just to be sure the agenda is appropriate and that we aren't holding the meeting somewhere else.
St. Pat's gives the Troop access only to the Church Hall and designated meeting rooms. Scouts and others must not be elsewhere in the building.
Adults and others must be respectful of the Scouts' meeting. Please take conversations into the lobby.
Unless otherwise notified by a Patrol Leader, members are expected to be Class-A field uniform for all Troop Meetings. See Boy Scout Uniforms for more information.
Scouts who are assigned setup and cleanup duties are expected to do so. Parents, please ask your Scout before leaving whether they have cleanup duties.
Boy Scouting in Troop 299 is a year-round program and some of the best happens once school is out! Most of our Scouts participate in a resident, week-long summer camp for 4 years. As they mature, our older Scouts look for more excitement so our troop offers challenging High Adventure outings, too.
Resident Summer Camp
If your Scout does nothing else this summer, make it be a trip to a BSA Summer Camp!
For many years, Troop 299 has spent a week at Camp Conestoga. It is a beautiful and modern camp situated in the Laurel Highlands region of Pennsylvania, near Somerset. The staff offers an excellent Pathfinder program for first-year Scouts, where they will learn many of the skills necessary for the Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class ranks. Many different merit badges can be earned as well as other challenges that provide a tremendous amount of fun. Boys return from summer camp with a strong sense of what Scouting is about. Adults registered as a leader and current on Youth Protection may have the opportunity to attend. Drivers are always needed.
High Adventure
Troop 299 offers a high adventure outing annually. Past treks have included backpacking at Philmont in New Mexico, Sea Base sailing in the Bahamas, Swamp Base in Louisiana, and paddling the boundary waters of Minnesota. Scouts must be at least 14 years old, First Class, and have the Scoutmaster’s approval to participate in the week-long, back-country outings. These outings are not for the beginning Boy Scouts; however, knowing that these adventures exist can be a huge incentive.
The Troop went to Boundary Waters in 2021, and Philmont in 2022. In 2024, we are returning to Boundary Waters.
Outdoor activities teach Scouts how to live safely and comfortably in wilderness settings. By being prepared we allow ourselves to have fun and be safe while camping. Our monthly outings are the laboratories where Scouts learn and apply their leadership and outdoor skills.
Monthly Outings
Monthly troop outings are scheduled by the Patrol Leader’s Council each month, September through May. These events are usually Friday through Sunday, tent camps at BSA reservations or parks within Ohio or adjacent states. Most outings have additional fees and the patrols are responsible for their food costs.
Please Note
Outings are only for Troop 299 Boy Scouts unless the Scoutmaster specifically permits otherwise. Adults provide transporation. Parents are welcome to attend outings as members of the Raven Patrol. Any adult participating on an outing must provide current YPT certification and BSA Annual Health Medical Records form. Adults are reminded that the Scouts elected their Patrol Leaders and they - not adults! - are in charge of all outings with the Scoutmaster as their advisor.
Back to Basics - The first campout
To help with the transition from Webelos to Boy Scouts, Troop 299 has a springtime outing we call "Back to Basics". This outing is front-country camping at a BSA camp or state park. The outing is designed to give our newest Scouts their first hands-on experience using the standard Boy Scout skill set and serve as an introduction to the Patrol Method of Scouting. It is also an excellent time for our newest parents to spend a little time with the adult leaders.
Be Prepared for Fun! Your Boy Scout Handbook contains a wealth of information about how to pack for outings. The topic is also covered by Scouts during troop and patrol meetings. Here are our recommendations for what you need to bring to this important first outing:
For Youth Protection, Scouts may not sleep with any adult (including parent) nor with Scouts with an age difference greater than two years.
See the Boy Scout Handbook for more ideas.
Put your name on everything!
We suggest not spending a lot on gear up front until you become more familiar with what is needed. You can learn much from any senior Scout or Scouter.
Specifically prohibited on outings and campouts are electronic devices (games, TVs, radios, etc.), fireworks, sheath knives and weapons of any kind. Hatchets, axes, camp stoves and other equipment can only be used by trained Scouts under the supervision of an adult leader. Cell phones are strongly discouraged and are not to be used except in the event of a true emergency.
In accordance with the Patrol Method and to encourage pride, friendship, and independence Scouts will bunk with other Scouts in their patrol or by themselves. Boys will work together to setup, break down, and clean up their gear, their patrol's equipment, and to prepare the patrol's meals - adults will not do these things! Instead, when a Scout need assistance with skills the leadership will find a way for another experienced Scout to assist. The most helpful answer any adult can give to most questions is, "Have you asked your Patrol Leader?"
The taking of prescription medication is the responsibility of the individual taking the medication and/or that individual's parent or guardian. An adult Scout leader, after obtaining all the necessary information, can agree to accept the responsibility of making sure a Scout takes the necessary medication at the appropriate time, but BSA does not mandate nor necessarily encourage the Scout leader to do so. At summer camp, medicine is centrally dispensed.
Boy Scouts run their own troop. But to do that effectively they require training. Fortunately, there are numerous opportunities at every level of a Scout's career to learn and apply leadership skills.
Youth Training
ILST - The Scoutmaster and assistants delivers an Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops session annually for Scouts in leadership roles. This short-course covers the basics of what is expected from the Scout for each Leadership and Position of Responsibility. Consider this a mandatory course.
NYLT - Older Scouts are encouraged to sign up for National Youth Leadership Training. There is a six day resident camp and also a multi-weekend format. Either way, the syllabus is first rate leadership training! The NYLT course centers around the concepts of what a leader must BE, what he must KNOW, and what he must DO. The key elements are then taught with a clear focus on HOW TO. The skills come alive during the week as the patrol goes on a Quest for the Meaning of Leadership. This course is open to Scouts who are at least First Class Rank, are 13 years or older, and must have the Scoutmaster's permission.
NAYLE - After completing NYLT, take leadership training to the next level by participating in National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience. This program was designed and is taught at Philmont and Summit, WV and uses elements of the Philmont Ranger Training as well as advanced Search and Rescue skills to teach leadership, teamwork and the lessons of selfless service.
Adult Training
Troop 299 encourages all registered adults to take full advantage of BSA training because All Scouts Deserve Trained Leaders! The troop offers to reimburse the registration fees for adults who complete all portions of BSA training programs and other training associated with needed to carry out the program objectives.
Youth Protection Training The course is required for all adult volunteers. YPT must be repeated every two years. Please send your certificate to the Committee Chair.
We strongly encourage all registered leaders to take Greenbar or Blackfoot advanced adult leader training. Woodbadge is also highly recommended upon completion of Greenbar or Blackfoot.
The BSA National Council has greatly expanded the number of courses available online. Be sure to check out the Online Training Center for introductory and supplemental courses.
Attending or participating in The University of Scouting is another excellent way to learn a lot in one day. This one-day event is usually held in November.
Troop Advancement Policy
The Troop advancement policy is located here.
The Troop 299 Sign-Off Policy is here.
For Life Scouts ready to start the final steps to Eagle rank, a guide is located here.
Merit Badge Counselor Information
Our Troop depends on parents and other adults to help deliver a quality Merit Badge Program to our Scouts as a part of its advancement program. The Merit Badge Counselor (MBC) plays a key role in the advancement of all Scouts. Whatever your area of expertise or interest - whether it is a special craft or hobby (basketry, leatherwork, coin collecting), a profession (veterinary medicine, aviation, engineering), or perhaps a life skill (cooking, personal management, communications, camping, fishing, swimming) - as a Merit Badge Counselor, you can help stir a young man's curiosity about that particular topic. By serving as a Merit Badge Counselor, you offer your time, knowledge, and other resources so that Scouts can explore a topic of interest.
Troop 299 has a long history of providing Merit Badge Counselors for each of the Eagle required badges plus dozens of others. Having that breadth of counselors helps our Scouts to advance and our Troop to prosper. The only way this tradition continues is with your assistance, so please become a Counselor!
Becoming a Merit Badge Counselor
Merit Badge Counselors are men and women of good character, age 18 or older, and recognized as having the skills and education in the subjects for with they are to serve as merit badge counselors, as well as having the ability to work with Scout-age boys.
Complete BSA Youth Protection Training
The BSA requires all adult volunteer to complete Youth Protection Training (YPT) before interacting with the Scouts. This course is available online at www.myScouting.org. When you have completed the course be sure to print a copy of your certificate. That certificate must be provided with your Adult Volunteer Application.
Complete an Adult Volunteer Application
To register as an adult leader with the troop, fill out the BSA online application here. Consent to perform a criminal background check is mandatory as are personal references. There is no cost to you.
Note: Registering as a Merit Badge Counselor does not, in itself, register you as an Adult Leader (a.k.a, "Scouter"). Please see the Troop Committee or Scoutmaster if you are also interested in becoming an Assistant Scoutmaster or Committee Member.
Complete a Merit Badge Counselor Form
This form is available from the Troop Committee or here Use this form to indicate the badges you want to instruct. Click here for a complete list of Merit Badges. You have the option of limiting your instruction to only Troop 299 or you may choose to make yourself available to other troops in our District.
Turn in your completed forms and Youth Protection certificate to the Troop Committee Membership Chair or Committee Chair.
Getting Started
Being a MBC is not complicated but there are rules in place to ensure an enjoyable and safe experience for everyone involved. As you read the following information, keep in mind that BSA Advancement requirements are to be taken very literally. For example, if an instruction says "the Scout will..." then nobody but the Scout can. In BSA Advancement words Must, Should, Shall and Could, are all deliberately chosen. Similarly, the words Parent and Scout are never interchangeable. In the end, only you the Merit Badge Counselor decides when the Scout has completed each and every requirement.
Merit Badge Program - The Process
1. The steps a Boy Scout takes to completing a merit badge are described in The Boy Scout Handbook. They are shown here with a little elaboration.
2. The Scout obtains from the Scoutmaster a signed Blue Card and the name of a qualified Merit Badge Counselor for that merit badge.
3. The Scoutmaster approves the Scout's request for a Blue Card by signing the front of the Application for Merit Badge portion. In some situations, such as summer camp, the Scoutmaster may delegate the approving of Blue Cards to an Assistance Scoutmaster. The Scoutmaster assigns a specific merit badge counselor. On occasion he might instead provide the Scout a short list of potential Counselors. These are the only Counselors the Scout may contact. Only the Scout, himself, is to contact a Counselor.
4. Along with a buddy - another Scout, a relative or a friend - the Scout sets up and attends his first appointment with the Merit Badge Counselor. The Counselor will explain the requirements for the badge and help the Scout plan ways to fulfill them so that he can get the most out of the experience.
Never meet alone with a Scout! As discussed in Youth Protection, no adult can meet alone with a youth. Whenever a Counselor meets with a Scout there must always be a third person present. Many of Troop 299's Counselors will meet with Scouts at IRUMC before or after troop meetings or in another public setting, such as fast-food restaurant. The Scout's home is also a good venue as long as a parent is home, too.
5. Verify that the Scout's blue card is in order:
6. Sometimes Scouts return from camp with a partially completed blue card. When a Scout appears for a first meeting holding a "partial" the Counselor should be convinced that the boy did get the Scoutmaster's approval to meet to finish the Merit Badge. Requirements that have already been signed off by the camp's Counselor are not to be disputed.
7. At all times, the Scout is to behave in accordance with the Scout Oath and Law. The Scout must meet with his Counselor wearing his Class-A uniform unless the activity requires specialized clothing. Please let the Scoutmaster know of any issues.
8. The Scout completes the requirements.
He meets with the Counselor whenever necessary until he has finished working on the badge. The burden of making progress on a badge rests exclusively with the Boy Scout.
Scouts are encouraged to obtain the handbook for the Merit Badge but requiring it is up to the Counselor. The requirements in effect at the time the Scoutmaster assigned the blue card are the requirements that must be met.
Requirements are to be worked by the Scout exactly as stated in the Merit Badge Handbook - no more, no less. They may be completed in any order and at any time unless otherwise stated within the requirement itself.
Only the assigned Counselor signs off on completed requirements. The Counselor should sign off on each requirement individually but not until all requirements have been completed to the Counselor's satisfaction does the Counselor sign and date all three portions of the blue card. It is helpful to write "Complete" across the back of the Applicant's Record portion of the blue card, just to be absolutely clear. Nobody can contest the Counselor's decision.
9. When all requirements are complete the Counselor detaches and retains the complete Counselor Record portion of the blue card. There is no retention requirement but many MBCs hold onto these stubs for years.
10. The Scout shows his completed blue card to the Scoutmaster. If the Counselor has signed that all requirements were completed then the Scoutmaster will approve by signing on the Applicant's Record. The official date of completion is the date the Counselor signed the blue card.
11. The Scout turns the completed blue card into the Advancement Chair (or Committee Chair) for processing. Usually, the Applicant's Record portion will be given to the Scout for permanent keeping.
12. The Scout will receive his Merit Badge patch and card at the next Court of Honor.
Each year, the Troop Committee offers fundraising opportunities to the PLC, including the annual Boy Scout Popcorn Sale. All proceeds are deposited into the Troop's general account, belong to the Troop and its Chartering Organization (St. Patrick's), and are managed by the Troop Committee. As an incentive to participate in fundraisers and to help Scouts cover their Scouting costs the Troop Committee earmarks a percentage of each Scout's proceeds to his Scout Account.
A registered Scout may request a reimbursement from his Scout Account by providing a receipt for the purchase of materials and participation fees that are directly related to Scouting. He may request that any Troop 299 fee be deducted from his Scout Account by checking the appropriate box on the outing's permission slip. Disbursements cannot exceed the available balance in the boy's Scout Account.
When a Scout turns 18 or leaves Troop 299 he may request that his balance be assigned to a sibling that is registered in Troop 299. The Scout may apply his available balance to expenses incurred for convening his Eagle Court of Honor even if that event occurs after his 18th birthday. If the Scout transfers to another troop he may request a disbursement of his balance with Troop 299's expressed expectation that the money will be used by the Scout for similar purposes with his new troop. Otherwise, any remaining balance will be released to the troop's general account.
The Scout can check with the Troop's Treasurer (an adult leader) to obtain his Scout Account balance.
Kroger Community Rewards
Our Troop participates in the Kroger's Community Rewards program as a fundraiser for our Troop. The proceeds from this program are added to the Troop's general account and helps to fund training, equipment, awards, outings and other Troop activities.
To enroll, log on to your Kroger account and click Save--> Kroger Community Rewards. First-time members will need to create an account. Our Organization Name is "BOY SCOUT TROOP 299" and Organization Number is 81985. Detailed instructions are here.
We want to especially thank those who have kept Troop 299 as their beneficiary even after their sons became Eagles or otherwise left the Troop.